TICKLE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

tickle

verb

Definition of tickle

as in to itch

Related Words

Relevance

as in to excite

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tickle There are also a few other flavors that might tickle your fancy. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2026 As mentioned, Kate is a gifted musician herself and has tickled the ivories at several public appearances, including her annual Christmas carol service. — Tessa Petak, InStyle, 23 May 2026 The woozy, choppily edited party sequence, featuring lots of handheld, cellphone-style footage and glassy slow-motion interludes, clearly illustrates the camaraderie and profound affection between the five main characters, who tease and tickle one another like sportive, overgrown puppies. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 Crisp lemonade, frozen strawberries, and club soda blend up into a bubbly, effervescent drink that'll tickle your nose and your taste buds. — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tickle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tickle

Verb

While he's helped run his family's restaurant in Baltimore County for many years, he's been itching to start up his own.

— Dennis Valera, CBS News, 22 Aug. 2026
Although not the prohibitive favorite in the SEC, the Tide are still College Football Playoff contenders and are itching for some payback.

— Andre C. Fernandez, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of itch

Verb

Paper menus allow diners to tick off orders of lip-tingling laab, luscious khao soi, and juicy pomelo salad, feeling like a never-ending invitation to add just one more course.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Those include numbness and tingling around the mouth and fingertips, trouble walking, talking or swallowing, sometimes weakness in the upper or lower extremity, balance issues or struggles with episodic memory.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of tingle

Verb

Horgan ended up incorporating some of those videos—AI slop of dogs blowing up houses with laser beam eyes, for instance—which amused Murphy.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026
Students were especially amused that AI had John Singer, who acts as a hub connecting all the other characters, speaking on a variety of subjects.

— Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of amuse

Verb

As a young Black woman, the betrayal stung as much as a rejection by any guy.

— Sarah Jones, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
The bugs, particularly ticks, ants, mosquitoes and stinging insects, are going to take full advantage thanks to warmer temperatures, according to the National Pest Management Associations (NPMA)'s biannual Bug Barometer®.

— Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of sting

Verb

The comment at a rally last Sunday titillated, provoked and enraged different audiences simultaneously, all but guaranteeing saturation news coverage and even more attention.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
But the action is so dependent on overwrought dialogue, red herrings, titillating close-ups, and a barrage of throwback songs that the story constantly takes a backseat.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of titillate

Verb

As its name suggests, the beetle bores into trees, drilling tunnels to create breeding galleries.

— Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Needless to say, Parker and Stone quickly got bored with the subject, adding a subplot that saw Obama teaming up with his apparent nemesis John McCain to dig a tunnel from the Oval Office to the Smithsonian and steal the Hope Diamond.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of bore

Verb

Cabeca likes to follow a keto diet and said the healthy fats keep her satiated while the protein supports her muscles and hormones.

— Cathy Cassata, HEALTH, 26 Aug. 2026
The robust menu aims to satiate hungry tourists who’ve spent long hours pounding the black sampietrini cobblestones of the vast open-air museum that is the Eternal City.

— Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of satiate

Browse Nearby Words

ticking off

tickle

tickled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tickle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tickle

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes